


A Little More Action

by PompousPickle



Category: Borderlands
Genre: Gen, Volleyball, a bunch of nerds being a bunch of nerds, slice of life on Pandora
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-30
Updated: 2015-08-30
Packaged: 2018-04-18 00:49:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4685939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PompousPickle/pseuds/PompousPickle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Time for some fun in the sun, and desperately trying to relieve boredom in any way possible.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Little More Action

To be honest, the game was a long time coming. Ever since they went into the Buzzard Camp and found the psycho-head volleyballs, really. Gaige had started it when she mentioned that volleyball had been the only thing she ever liked about gym class. “I was the _lord and master_ of volleyball man! You should have _seen_ me.”

“I bet,” Axton mused as he tossed the repurposed head in the air and caught it, leaning casually against the roof of one of the bandit huts. “Probably still couldn’t take me in a match, but I’m sure you were quite the queen of the net in your day.”

“Looking good with your shirt off doesn’t automatically make you a pro at volleyball.” Gaige brandished a sniper rifled and scoped for any remaining bandits in the area. “I’m sure I can take you any day of the week.”

And that was the end of it.

At least until after they defeated the Son of Crawmerax and were still waiting on Lilith and the others to arrive at Wam Bam.

“They just now lifted quarantine so they’ll probably be heading out shortly,” Maya said as she glanced around the island. “Don’t get me wrong, fun in the sun is nice and all. But I’m kind of getting bored out here with minimal amounts of things to kill. I think our Psycho Friend might be getting a little restless too.”

In fact, Krieg was in a corner wrestling his thirty-third varkid of the day. They had already wiped out the majority of the native population, and pirates were pretty much a null problem at this point. In fact, Wam Bam Island was pretty much full of nothing but content vacationers at this point.

Which would be great, if the Vault Hunters were anything like normal vacationers.

That’s when Gaige climbed over a fence to join the others while they sunbathed and kicked around rocks. “Found something we can do!” She said suddenly, every inch of her thrumming with pent up energy. “Remember when you said you could take me in a volleyball game, Axton?”

“Not really,” Axton shrugged off and took a sip of his beer. “Probably could do it though.”

“Well you did say it. And you’re still wrooong,” Gaige said, throwing two thumbs down and looking at the other three that were hanging around for the conversation. “Anyway I found a net _and_ a volleyball. A _real_ one and not just a head with hot gas pumped into it. I know, I know. Quite a task, and you’re welcome,” she added with a wink.

“Yeah, okay,” Axton said as he stood up and brushed himself off, stretching a little bit. He glanced around to see if anyone was checking him out as he stretched. No one was remotely interested.

“Allll-RIGHT!” Salvador immediately said as he jumped up and grinned. “We gonna do this in teams or what?! How are we gonna do this?!”

“I’m pretty sure they were thinking one-on-one,” Maya added as she fumbled through her bag looking for a new book to read. “Unless…”

She glanced up at Axton, who seemed to catch her drift immediately. “No please. Gives us something all to do, right? Maya, Zer0, you’re on my team. Let’s go.”

Gaige made a sound that sounded more like choking than anything else. “Okay no. Why do _you_ get to pick the teams? You can have Zer0. I’ll take Maya.”

“What is volleyball?/Some kind of competition?/I’ll school you nerds.”  Zer0 said as he glanced between the other Vault Hunters, his helmet flashing a large question mark before he stood up. He moved towards Axton, who was already loosening up his muscles with excitement.

“I’m not sure I’m following either,” Maya said as she moved towards Gaige. “We’ll just have to learn as we go.” Gaige grinned ear to ear and held up her hand for high-five. Maya met it and cracked a smile, as much of a smile as she ever did anyway.

Axton chose not to comment on either of their lack of volleyball knowledge. “Alright fair. Big guy, you’re with me,” he said, nodding to Krieg.

Krieg glanced at Axton from the sand structure he was building…whatever it was supposed to be and raised his arms in triumph. “THE NET OF BALLLS TO BE TRIUMPHED FOR BEEEEssss”

“Yeah this is going to be _great_ team, I can tell,” Axton muttered under his breath.

Salvador stepped up and threw his hands in the air. “I’m the last pick? Are you _SERIOUS?”_ Sal threw up his hands and stormed off to stand next to Gaige, who simply shrugged.

“Sorry shorty, nothing personal,” Axton said as he moved behind the net and to the other side. “Just don’t feel like losing to a third grader.”

“I’m eighteen, Scrublord.” Gaige shouted. However, Salvador started cursing at Axton around the same time, so no one could really make anything out.

 

Axton opened his mouth to retort but Zer0 went behind the net beside him and took on a fighting stance. “Enough trash talking / Throw the ball so we can play / This fight to the death.”

“leT US THRooW THE BAlL AND LigHT THE SKY ON FiReeee” a low drawl came out from Axton’s left. Maya merely sighed and just looked around distractedly. Salvador was already brandishing his guns. And that’s when Gaige and Axton gave each other a meaningful look, realizing that maybe the two of them signed up for more than they bargained for.

\----

Going over the rules of the game took about 45 minutes before Gaige and Axton simply shortened it to "hit the ball over the net".

 

"Any questions?" Gaige asked, ball in hand and ready to roll. Krieg raised his arm up.  Gaige quickly ignored him and glanced around. “Any _other_ questions?”

 

Maya had pulled her hair into a small ponytail, getting her muscles loose and ready to go. Salvador growled. “Just let me play already! I’ll show you who gets picked last, _pendejos.”_

“Sorry. I just think volleyball players shouldn’t be able to walk under the net without crouching.” Axton shrugged, holding up a hand for Zer0 to high five it. With an “LOL” flashing from his helmet, Zer0 responded in kind.

 

“Okay, so it’s Team Small versus the Overgrown Freaks. I can deal with this,” Maya smirked. “Serve up the ball, Gaige. We’re going to have some fun.” She shot Gaige and look, who grinned ear-to-ear in kind.

 

And Gaige couldn’t think of anything she wanted to do more than spike the ball into Axton’s face.

 

\---

 

It took about two turns for the other Vault Hunters to get the hang of the game. After five rounds, Maya discovered that if she phaselocked the ball, it was easier for both Sal and Gaige to hit. By the next serve, she discovered phaselocking the ball out of Zer0 and Axton’s reach was hilarious.

 

“CHEAtter CHeeatER PUmpkiins LUMps” Krieg hissed and screeched as he pulled out his axe to show the ball what for and take it out of its phaselock. Immediately, Maya dropped the ball and it fell uselessly to the ground. Gaige and Salvador had to hold in their laughter while Axton and Zer0 stared at it hopelessly.

 

But the next moment, Axton looked up at Zer0, who flashed a quick “>;D” at him. Axton grinned and nodded in agreement and pulled out the small digistruct box that held his turret. Axton just cleared his throat. “Alright, guess we’re not holding back anymore. Good luck volleying while dodging bullets!” He shouted, throwing the turret to where it stuck to the left side of the net and serving the ball in their direction.

 

Gaige only laughed. “That all you got, nerd?!” She snapped her fingers with her mechanical arm and called Deathtrap out as a fourth team member as she dived down to avoid the bullets being fired at her and the other teammates. “DEATHTRAP, VOLLEYBALL MODE.” She shouted.

 

The robot responded immediately, hitting the ball forward and firing two rockets directly at Zer0 and Krieg. Krieg only laughed and screamed out “BRIiiing IN THE FIIREEE” and immediately met the rockets with a buzz-axe and fire breath. Meanwhile, Zer0 simply evaded the rocket and rushed up about 7 feet in the air to slam the ball down to the other side of the net.

 

“One more point for us/Also why does Deathtrap have/ A volleyball mode?” Zer0 asked with a large question mark flashing on his helmet.

 

“Doesn’t matter,” Maya quickly concluded before Gaige could open her mouth to reply. “I call for a group huddle!” She shouted as her, Gaige, and Salvador huddled in to talk about their plans. Gaige pulled Deathtrap into the huddle as well, who didn’t have much to add to the discussion.Afterwards, they all slapped each other on the back and got in formation. Gaige served the ball to a completely free location. However, within an instant, Zer0 appeared and one of his holograms flickered away from where he had previously been standing. He returned the ball with ease, to a spot that was well out of reach.

 

Or it would have been out of reach if Salvador hadn’t whipped out a rocket launcher to use as an extra arm, using it to volley the ball back. “WHO’S SHORT NOW, PAPI?” He shouted towards Axton, whipping out another gun and open-firing at the other team ripping three holes into the net.

 

Axton only growled and dived desperately to hit the ball, only to miss and land with a mouthful of sand. He sputtered and growled something. In the next moment, the Sabre Turret began to spit out slag, successfully covering the other team.

 

“Oh. It. Is. _ON._ ” Gaige shrieked, now thoroughly beaten, bruised and covered in slag. “Let’s GO, Team Shorties!” She pointed to the other side of the net. Salvador blasted the net away with the rocket and Maya’s tattoos began to grow blue. The other team stood to attention, Krieg brandishing his axe and laughing loudly.

 

The volleyball rolled across the sand, completely forgotten.


End file.
